6 {60 , 7 {60 -dihydro-3{40 h-cyclopropa {8 6,7{9 pregna-6-dienne-3,15,20-trione and congeners

ABSTRACT

Preparation of 6 Alpha , 7 Alpha -dihydro-3&#39;&#39;H-cyclopropa (6,7)pregna-4,6-diene-3,15,20-trione, the Delta 1 analog, their diuretic activity, and intermediates are disclosed.

States Patent [191 Unite Chinn June 18, 1974 6 a, 7 a-DIHYDRO-3'H-CYCLOPROPA [6,7]PREGNA-6-DIENNE-3,l5,20-TRIONE AND CONGENERS [21] Appl. No.: 385,662

[52] U.S. Cl 260/397.3, 260/397.4, 260/999 [51] Int. Cl. C07c 169/34 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,123,622 3/1964 Tweit 260/3973 3,558,674 l/1971 Beard et a]. 260/397.4

Primary Examiner-Henry A. French Attorney, Agent, or FirmJohn M. Brown ABSTRACT Preparation of 6a, 7a-dihydr0-3H-cyclopropa [6,7]- pregna-4,6-diene-3,15,20-trione, the A analog, their diuretic activity, and intermediates are disclosed.

6 Claims, N0 Drawings 6 a, 7 a-DIHYDRO-3 H-CYCLOPROPA [6,7]PREGNA-6-DIENNE-3,15,20-TRIONE AND v CQljlGENERS This invention relates to 6a,7a-dihydro-3'H- cyclopropa[6,7 ]pregna-4,6-diene-3 ,15 ,20-trione and congeners, and to processes for the preparation thereof. More particularly, this invention provides new, useful, and unobvious steroids of the formula a C i M wherein the dotted line designates an optional double bond.

The enformulated compounds are useful by reason of their valuable biological properties. For example, they are diuretics adapted to reverse the effects of substances such as desoxycorticosterone acetate (DCA) on urinary sodium and potassium.

A standardized test for the foregoing diuretic property is described in US. Pat. No. 3,422,096. In a modification of this test using Charles River rats primed with 12 rather than 9 mcgm. of DCA but otherwise substantially identical, the products of Example 1E and 2C hereinafter both produced a significant response.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that observations of activity in standardized tests for particular bio- 3 logical effects are fundamental to the development of valuable new drugs, both veterinary and human.

Preparation of 6a,7a-dihydro-3'H-cyclopropa[6,7]- pregna-4,6-diene-3,15,20-trione and the A analog proceeds by consecutively contacting ISa-acetoxypregna- 4,6-diene-3,20-dione (U.S. Pat. No. 2,924,611) with lithium hydrotri-tert.-butoxyaluminate in tetrahydrofuran and dichlorodicyanobenzo-quinone (DDQ) in benzene. The resultant a-acetoxy-ZOe-hydroxypregna-4,6-dien-3-one is contacted with dimethyloxosulfonium methylide in dimethyl sulfoxide to produce 15a-acetoxy-6a7a-dihydro-20e-hydroxy-3 'H- cyclopropa[6,7]pregna-4,6-dien-3-one, wherein the -hydroxyl is oxidized to carbonyl by contacting in acetone with Jones reagent (a mixture of chromium trioxide, sulfuric acid, and water). From the ISa-acetoxy- 6a,7a-dihydro-3 'H-cyclopropa[ 6,7 ]-pregna-4,6-diene- 3,20-di0ne thus obtained, on heating in benzene at the boiling point with DDQ, the A analog eventuates. The acetoxyl in the latter two steriods is hydrolyzed by contacting with sodium carbonate in aqueous methanol, and acetonic Jones reagent serves to convert the resultant IS-hydroxyl to carbonyl, affording the products enformulated above.

The following examples describe in detail compounds illustrative of the present invention and methods which have been devised for their preparation. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications, both of materials and of methods, may be practiced without departing from the purpose and intent of this disclosure. Throughout the examples hereinafter set forth, temperatures are given in degrees centigrade and relative amounts of materials in parts by weight, except as otherwise noted.

EXAMPLE 1 A. 15a-Acetoxy-20e-hydroxypregna-4,6-dien-3-one.

A mixture of 138 parts of l5a-acetoxypregna-4,6- diene-3,20-dione, 135 parts of lithium hydrotri-tert.- butoxyaluminate, and 1,125 parts of tetrahydrofuran is maintained at around 5 for 2 hours, then poured into 20,000 parts of ice water. The resultant mixture is made slightly acid with 5 percent hydro-chloric acid. and the mixture thus obtained is extracted with 36.000 parts of benzene. The benzene extract is washed with water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and thereupon concentrated to one-half volume by distillation at atmospheric pressure. To the distilland is added parts of dichlorodicyanobenzoquinone. The resultant mixture is heated at the boiling point under reflux for 2 hours, then cooled, washed successively with aqueous 3 percent sodium hydroxide and water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and stripped of solvent by vacuum distillation. The residue is l5a-acetoxy-20ehydroxypregna-4,6-diene-3-one.

B. l5a-Acetoxy-6a,7a-dihydro-20e-hydroxy-3 'I-lcyclopropa[6,7]pregna-4,6-dien-3-one.

A mixture of 6,120 parts of l5a-acetoxy-20ehydroxypregna-4,6-dien-3-one with a solution of five parts of dimethyloxosulfonium methylide in approximately 70,000 parts of dimethyl sulfoxide is allowed to stand at room temperatures for 28 hours, whereupon it is diluted with 400,000 parts of water. The resultant mixture is acidified with 18 percent hydrochloric acid, and the mixture thus obtained is extracted with ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate extract is washed with water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and stripped of solvent by vacuum distillation. The residue is taken up in benzene; and the benzene solution is chromatographed on neutral alumina, using benzene and mixtures thereof with increasing amounts of ethyl acetate as developing solvents. From an eluate comprising 5 percent ethyl acetate in benzene, on evaporation of the solvent, 1 5a-acetoxy-6a,7a-dihydro-20e-hydroxy-3 'H- cyclopropa[6,7]pregna-4,6-dien-3-one melting at 246-248 is obtained as the residue.

C. l5a-Acetoxy-6a,7a-dihydro-3 H-cyclopropa[ 6,7 pregna-4,6-diene-3,20-dione.

To a solution of 99 parts of l5a-acetoxy-6a,7adihydro-20e-hydroxy-3 'H-cyclopropa[ 6,7 l-pregna- 4,6-dien-3-one in 400 parts of acetone is added 128 parts of Jones reagent (a mixture prepared by dissolving parts of chromium trioxide in 200 parts of water and consecutively adding parts of concentrated sulfuric acid and 200 parts of water). The reaction mixture is allowed to stand at room temperatures for 3 hours, whereupon it is diluted with 50,000 parts of water. The resultant mixture is extracted with ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate extract is washed with water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and stripped of solvent by vacuum distillation. The residue is washed by trituration with ether and crystallized from ethyl acetate to give l5a-acetoxy6a,7a-dihydro-3'H- cyclopropa[6,7]pregna-4,6-diene-3,20-dione melting at 230-233.

D. 6a,7a-Dihydrol 5a-hydroxy-3 'H-cyclopropa[ 6,7 pregna-4,6-diene-3,20-dione.

A mixture of 227 parts of l5a-acetoxy-6a,7adihydro-3 'H-cyclopr0pa[ 6,7 ]pregna-4,6-diene-3 ,20-

dione, 200 parts of sodium carbonate, 4,000 parts of water, and 17,600 parts of methyl alcohol is stirred at room temperatures for 6 hours. The methyl alcohol is then distilled off, and the distilland is diluted with 20,0- parts of water. The resultant mixture is extracted with dichloromethane. The dichloromethane extract is dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and stripped of solvent by vacuum distillation. The residue, upon crystallization from a mixture of ethyl acetate and ether, affords 6a,7a-dihydro-l Sa-hydroxy-S 'H- cyclopropa[ 6,7 ]-pregna-4,6-diene-3 ,20-dione which melts at l10ll2, resolidifies, and remelts at l33-l35. E. 6a,7a-Dihydro-3H-cyclopropa[ 6,7 -4,6-diene- 3 ,1 5,20-trione.

EXAMPLE 2 A. la-Acetoxy-6a,7a-dihydro-3 H-cyclopropa{ 6,7 pregna-l ,4,6-triene-3,20-dione.

A mixture of 50 parts of 15a-acetoxy-6a,7a-dihydro- 3'H-cyclopropa[6,7]-pregna-4,6-diene-3,20-dione, 37 parts of dichlorodicyanobenzoquinone and 5,400 parts of anhydrous benzene is heated at the boiling point under reflux in a nitrogen atmosphere for 20 hours. The reaction mixture is then chilled and thereupon diluted with three volumes of ether. The mixture thus obtained is washed successively with aqueous 2 percent sodium hydroxide and water, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, and stripped of solvent by vacuum distillation. The residue, crystallized from ethyl ace tate, is 15a-acetoxy-6a,7a-dihydro-3 'H cyclopropa[ 6,7]pregnal ,4,6-triene-3 ,20-dione melting at 23 l-233.

B. 6a,7a-Dihydro-l 5a-hydroxy-3 H-cyclopropa[ 6,7]- pregna-l ,4 ,6-triene-3 ,ZO-dione.

A mixture of 2 parts of l5a-acetoxy-6a,7a-dihydro- 3 'H-cyclopropaI6,7]pregna-1 ,4,6-triene-3,20-dione, 2 parts of sodium carbonate, 20 parts of water, and 200 parts of methyl alcohol is stirred at room temperatures for 15 hours. The methyl alcohol is then removed by vacuum distillation, and the residue is diluted with 100 parts of water. The mixture thus obtained is extracted with dichloromethane. The dichloromethane extract is washed with water, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, and stripped of solvent by vacuum distillation. The residue is crystallized from ethyl acetate to give 6- a,7a-dihydrol 5a-hydroxy-3 'H-cyclopropa- [6,7]pregna-l ,4,6-triene-3 ,ZO-dione melting 246-248.

C. 6a,7a-Dihydro-3H-cyclopropa[6,7 ]pregna-l ,4,6- triene-3 l 5 ,20-trione.

To a stirred solution of 20 parts of 6a,7a-dihydro- 15a-hydroxy-3 'H-cyclopropa[6,7 ]-pregna-l ,4,6- triene-3,20-dione in 1,600 parts of acetone at O-5 is added approximately 31 parts of Jones reagent (prepared as described in Example 1C). The reaction mixture is maintained with stirring at 5-l0 for onehalf hour, then stirred for an additional one-half hour at room temperatures. Approximately 16 parts of isopropyl alcohol is introduced, followed by 5 volumes of water. Acetone is removed from the resultant mixture by vacuum distillation. The insoluble solids present in the distilland are then filtered out. washed with water, dried in air, and recrystallized from a mixture of dichlo romethane and ethyl acetate to give 6a,7a-dihydro- 3'H-cyclopropa{6,7]pregna-1,4,6-triene-3 l 5 ,20- trione melting at 2l32l5.

What is claimed is:

l. A compound of the formula L/LA wherein the endocyclic dotted line designates an optional double bond.

5. A compound of the formula 1 1 A H-OCOCH! wherein the endocyclic dotted line designates an optional double bond.

6. l5a-Acetoxy-6a,7a-dihydro-ZOe-hyd roxy-3 'H- cyclopropa[ 6,7 ]pregna-4,6-diene-3-one.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 53 m Dated June 18, 197

Inventor(s) Leland J. Chinn It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Title, "Dier me" should he ---Diene--c Col'. 1, in the formula,

should be Col. 1, line #7, "6007a" should be --6a,7ol.'--.

Col. 3, line 1 4, "[6,7]-4,6" should be --[6,7]pregna-'+,6--. Col. 3, line 17, "[6,7]- L,6" Should be --[6,7]pregne- L,6--. Col. 4, in the Claim 1 formula,

3 should be Signed and sealed this 8th day of October 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. Attesting Officer C. MARSHALL DANN Commissioner of Patents FORM P0405) (10459) I USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 I I U.$, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 969 -'366-334 

2. A compound according to claim 1 which is 6 Alpha ,7 Alpha -dihydro-3''H-cyclopropa(6,7)pregna-4,6-diene-3,15,20-trione.
 3. A compound according to claim 1 which is 6 Alpha ,7 Alpha -dihydro-3''H-cyclopropa(6,7)pregna-1,4,6-triene-3,15,20-trione.
 4. A compound of the formula
 5. A compound of the formula
 6. 15 Alpha -Acetoxy-6 Alpha ,7 Alpha -dihydro-20 epsilon -hydroxy-3''H-cyclopropa(6,7)pregna-4,6-diene-3-one. 